Author Topic: Pressing and acidity?  (Read 5377 times)

Alpkäserei

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Re: Pressing and acidity?
« Reply #15 on: February 07, 2013, 04:54:11 PM »
It can be an issue with modern cultures, less so with old timey approaches

<Gets out his 5 string banjo and picks off an old-timey tune>

linuxboy

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Re: Pressing and acidity?
« Reply #16 on: February 07, 2013, 05:07:35 PM »
Quote
<Gets out his 5 string banjo and picks off an old-timey tune>
Sorry to say, but the cheese will overacidify for sure now. Nothing throws off bacteria more than banjo music.

Alpkäserei

  • Guest
Re: Pressing and acidity?
« Reply #17 on: February 07, 2013, 05:11:40 PM »
Sorry to say, but the cheese will overacidify for sure now. Nothing throws off bacteria more than banjo music.

<puts down banjo and picks up fiddle, commences to saw off a tune>

Offline Boofer

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Re: Pressing and acidity?
« Reply #18 on: February 09, 2013, 10:15:40 PM »
Quote
"pressing overnight". I guess I'm a little paranoid about runaway acidity.
It's used in cheese plants as a practical tool for some cheeses. You let it acidify, and say it takes 6-8 hrs to reach 5.5. By that time, all the work is done and you cut heat to the make room. So cheese sits and slowly acidifies more, and when you come back, it's at 5.2-5.3. It can be an issue with modern cultures, less so with old timey approaches
My process involved the cheese mould inside the kettle inside a double boiler filled with warm water to retain heat. No direct heat was applied while in the press...just the residual heat from the warm water bath. The cheese was pressed in this manner over the course of around 6 hours, at which time the pH had dropped to the target range. I guess if I were to rearrange my process to remove the double boiler warmth after the first hour or so, then an overnight press would be feasible. I'm not entirely sure of the benefit that might be derived from such a change.

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

george

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Re: Pressing and acidity?
« Reply #19 on: February 10, 2013, 10:43:40 AM »
I'm not entirely sure of the benefit that might be derived from such a change.
That's only because you are not as lazy as I, Boofer.   :)

Tomer1

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Re: Pressing and acidity?
« Reply #20 on: February 10, 2013, 02:16:40 PM »
Also it depends on the local climate, over night the cheese could cook at room temp where it might reach 30-32c during mid summer.  perhaps it might work during the winter.

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Pressing and acidity?
« Reply #21 on: February 10, 2013, 06:29:09 PM »
Boof,

IMHO you should press "in the pot" for 30 minutes, flip, press for another 30 minutes, and then flip and press for a final 30 minutes. Total of 90 minutes. The knit should be established by then, so the rest of the pressing should be at ambient room temp or even cooler. Otherwise you are acidifying too quickly. For thermo cheeses I would reduce the pressings to 20 minute intervals to prevent sticking to cheesecloth or even Kadova molds.

Offline Boofer

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Re: Pressing and acidity?
« Reply #22 on: February 11, 2013, 02:08:54 PM »
Boof,

IMHO you should press "in the pot" for 30 minutes, flip, press for another 30 minutes, and then flip and press for a final 30 minutes. Total of 90 minutes. The knit should be established by then, so the rest of the pressing should be at ambient room temp or even cooler. Otherwise you are acidifying too quickly. For thermo cheeses I would reduce the pressings to 20 minute intervals to prevent sticking to cheesecloth or even Kadova molds.
That sounds about right. Am I acidifying too quickly if it takes ~6 hours? What is the benefit from a slower, cooler press/acidification...like say ~12-24 hours? Reduction or elimination of additional residual whey?

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

Alpkäserei

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Re: Pressing and acidity?
« Reply #23 on: February 22, 2013, 08:32:50 PM »
Here is our practice.

The cheese should always be pretty well knit after the first pressing, which takes only 5 minutes for our hard cheeses. Any longer and the curd will pull on the cloth, ruining your knit.

It is still very soft and pliable now, and full of wrinkles, but totally knit together.

The next 2 or 3 pressings, still covered, should help to form a smooth rind. After it has been covered for not more than 2 hours (Sailors 90 minute number is good, we would have it covered for about 35 or 75 minutes >5+10+20+40<) it should be pressed at room temperature, or even under.

Theses first warm pressings were aimed to knit the curd and create a good surface for the cheese (after this time, no knitting will happen). After this, the final, longer pressings aim to expel whey and remove any interior voids. This is why we press our cheeses for so long (The cheese may be in the press at 11:00 or 11:30 one morning and come out at around 6:00 the following morning)

So the slow, cool press gives you a cheese with a solid interior. This is necessary if you are making a cheese with eyes. It is also advised if you are going to age a cheese for a very long time.